oe wilmington



Patented Feb. 24, 1931 v UNITED s'm'res PATENT OFFICE FOREST 3'. FUNK, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR TO E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS & COMPANY, 01' WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE;

SEED DISINFECTANT No Drawing. Original application filed March 18,1926, Serial No. 95,789. Divided and this application filed May 21, 1927.

This invention relates to seed disinfectants, and more particularly to preparations of the character described which, because of their colloidal nature, are peculiarly adapted'to be 5 efiectively applied in liquid form. v

This case is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 95,789, filed March 18, 1926.

In recent years the trend of the development of seed disinfectants has been in the direction of productswhich may be applied to the seed in the form of dry dust. There are, however, certain disadvantages inherent in the dry dusting of seeds which arise in part -16 from the necessity of employing mechanical agitation. Mechanical agitation involves special apparatus and, on a large scale operation, a source of power. Also, in the case of certain seeds, considerable damage is} 20 caused by the agitation. Heretofore attempts to obviate this disadvantage by ap plying the disinfectant in liquid form have not proven satisfactory. Only soluble materials could be so applied and thecost and in- 28 convenience involved in applying a sufiicient quantity of such a solution to be eifective' rendered the method impractical.

I have now discovered a disinfecting preparation which is especially adapted for efiicient application to the seeds in liquid form. The new preparation comprises, in admixture with the active disinfectant material, finely divided material adapted to form in water a homogeneous suspension or colloidal solution of a fairly permanent character. For this purpose I may use either reversible or irreversible colloids. The particles of such a suspension or solution naturally tend to adhere to an object immersed therein. It is,

the water suspension or colloidal solution of the new preparation to thoroughly and instantaneously apply to them a layer of material embodying the disinfectant.-

For this-purpose either'water soluble or insoluble disinfectants may be advantageously applied in this manner. If insoluble, the

finely divided disinfectant will be buoyed u when water is added and held uniformly 5O therefore, only necessary to dip the seeds in dlstributed throughout the liquid mass by.

Serial No. 198,380.

- ling or in any other well known manner so long .as the seed is thoroughly wet'ted.

As examples of finely divided materials whichlend themselves to the preparation of a product of such physical composition that,

ahomogeneous and relatively permanent suspension is formed in water, I may mention potters clay, kaolin, bentonite, gelatin, glue, casein and agar-agar. It will be obvious that other finely divided materials adapted to form a colloidal suspension or. solution in water may be employed.

I have used the term hydrophylic colloidal material in this application to indicate a finely divided solid material whichhas the property of forming, with water, a relatively permanent and substantially homogeneous suspension.

In addition to the disinfectant and colloid I may also employ an inert, non-colloidal material-as a mechanical diluent to' add to the covering power of the active constituent? Fullers earth, diatomaceous earth, hydrated lime, calcium carbonate, dolomite and calciuni sulphate are example'sof such amaterial.

These inert materials may be of such nature that upon drying a relatively hard coating not easily removed by friction will be formed.

. The active disinfectant material is also of course, susceptible of variation. I have found, besides the organic, "mercury. compounds, that the' inorganic mercury com i pounds-are particularly adapted for mypurpose. Especially suitable are the chlorides of mercury, and mercury sulfate.

, In order to disolosetthe invention in more detail the following examples of actual em- -bodiments ther'eofare presented. It is to be understood, of course, that these examplesare furnishedfor illustrative purposes solely,

and that it is not my intention to be limited to the proportions or ingredients therein set' forth.

Examples 1 Per cent Mercury chlorlde (a soluble. salt) 94 Bentonite Sodium carbonate 5 v In this latter example, the insoluble mercury oxide is formed in the presence of the lime and bentonite. In all of these mixtures added, such for example, as calcium'sulfatc,

to replace a part of the bentonite. The calcium sulfate assists in producing a more permanent coat. on the surface of the seeds.

In any one'of these examples Ima'yalso use more than one mercury salt, and this is sometimes desirable. Furthermore, I may use a mercury salt together with an organic mercury compound in the same preparation.

The described compounds and method of applying the disinfectant which constitute my invention are productive of distinct commercial advantages. The elimination of the necessity for either a longsoaking period or equipment for maintaining uniform high temperatures greatly attracts anyone who is familiar with the ractical problem of potato seed treatment. l of the material can be used and'the inevitable losses incidental to applying finely divide'd powder in dry form are eliminated. Since no; agitation is reuired, injury to seeds, such as potatoes, is t us avoided and a source of power is not necessary. The fact-"that inert materials canbe combined in the product to insure upon drying a hard coating'that will not rub off in the su sequent handling is also important. Also,

cut potatoes while still wetfrom cutting can be immediately treated and a uniform coating obtained. Dry dusting is practically impossible under these conditions.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, it is to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the specific embodiments thereof except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim: a

1. A seed disinfecting preparation which comprises an inorganic mercury compound and a hydrophylic colloidal material, adapted to form with water a relatively permanent and substantial] homogeneoussuspension.

2. A seed disinfectin preparation which comprises a mercury s t and a hydrophylic -Bentonite other materials than those specified may be colloidal material, adapted to form with water a relatively permanent and substantially homogeneous suspension.

3. A seed disinfecting preparation which comprises a soluble mercury salt and a hydrophylic colloidal material, adaptedto form with water a relatively permanent and substantially homogeneous suspension.

4. A seed disinfecting preparation which comprises in admixture an inorganic mercury compound and bentonite, said preparation adapted to form with water a relatively permanent and substantially homogeneous suspension.

5. A seed disinfecting preparation which comprises in admixture a mercury salt and bentonite, said pre aration adapted to form with water a relatively permanent and substantially homogeneous suspension.

6. A seed disinfecting preparation which comprises in admixture a soluble mercury salt and bentonite, said preparation adapted to form with water ,a relatively permanent and substantially 1 homogeneous suspension.

7. A seed disinfecting preparation whichcomprises in admixture a finely divided inor anic mercury compound and a finely di- .vi ed material, said reparation adapted" to form with water a re atively permanent and substantially homogeneous suspension.

8. A seed disinfecting preparation which comprises in admixture a mercury salt and a finely divided material, said preparation adapted to form with water a relatively permanent and substantially homogeneous sus-' pension.

9. A seed disinfecting preparation which comprises in admixture a soluble mercury salt and a finely divided material, said preparation adapted to form with water a relatively permanent and substantially homogeneous suspension. I

10. A seed disinfecting preparation which comprises in admixture-"a mercuric chloride and a finely divided material, said prepara- 'tion' adapted to form with water a relatively permanent and substantially homogeneous suspension.

1-1. A see'd disinfectingpreparation which comprises an inorganic mercury compound; a hydrophylic colloid, an inert non-colloidal substance, all in finely divided form, and water.

12. A seed disinfecting preparation which.

comprises in admixture an inorganic m er cury compound in an aqueous suspenslon wlth a colloidal material.

13. A seed disinfecting preparation which comprises an inorganic mercury compound in anaqueous suspension: of bentonite V In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

. "FOREST. FUNK. 

